A database is one or more large structured sets of persistent data, usually associated with software to update and query the data. A simple database might be a single file containing many records, each of which contains the same set of fields where each field is a certain fixed width. A record is an ordered set of data fields, usually stored contiguously. In viewing of a database, the record-s are oftentimes displayed in “rows” and/or “columns.” The contents within data fields are typically written, re-written, copied, deleted, cut, pasted, or modified in some other manner numerous times. Furthermore, a field is an area of a database record, or graphical user interface forms, into which a particular item of data is entered. Fields are presented to operators by way of a computer display or screen. A field, in effect, allows a user or operator to enter data into a database to be displayed by the computer.
In business today, databases are becoming more widely used and depended upon. Databases are used to store, sort and recall massive amounts of information for display on a computer. In addition, databases are used to update stored information regularly. Thus, databases must be capable of modifying the massive amounts of information quickly and easily.
Modifying information within a database is performed by modifying the contents of the data fields within a particular database. A typical method of modifying information within a data fields is accomplished by selecting a data field to be modified with a mouse pointer, then performing a particular operation thereto, however, this can become time consuming in a rather large database. Thus, methods for modifying a group of data fields have become commonplace. A typical method of modifying a group of data fields is by selecting a data field to be modified as above, then selecting additional individual data fields by performing a combination of actions (i.e. holding down the Ctrl key and clicking a mouse button over the desired data fields, or holding down the Shift key and depressing an arrow key, etc.) to define the group, then finally, performing the desired operation thereto. Another typically method used to modify a group of data fields is by clicking on an icon that represents an entire record (i.e. a row or column of data fields), then performing a particular operation thereto. These methods are sufficient for modifying a single data field or even a row or column of data fields; however, the methods are not efficient for modifying a group of data fields within a record, or within a database.
What is needed, therefore, is a method and system for quickly and efficiently modifying groups of data fields with simple actions.